Punch Burger

127 E. Ohio Street

Indianapolis, IN

317.426.5280

Punch Burger

I usually wait a few weeks or months for a new restaurant to find its identity and work out the kinks. After reading the feature in the Indy Star, I decided to break my rule and try Punch Burger. What sold me was the idea of fresh and local ingredients from here in Indiana. The first thing I noticed was the was the bright menu board. It was very easy to navigate. First they list the specialty burgers for those people that like decisions to be made for them. Next are the options to build your own burger. There are three bun options, three meat options, toppings, cheeses, sauce, and extras. You also have your choice to get a grilled cheese, if a burger isn't up your alley. I really enjoyed how this restaurant knows its identity. They want to do burgers and do burgers well. They aren't gimmicky. The menu is very reasonably priced. For around $18, we got 2 burgers, 2 sodas, sweet potato tater tots, and waffle fries. We went on a Monday night and the staff was very inviting. They were patient as we went through the menu, deciding what to order. It wasn't very busy, but you will have that a new restaurant especially downtown. I picture Punch Burger gaining steam through the winter with the Pacers season starting soon. Punch Burger is located at Delaware and Ohio, so 3 or so blocks North of Bankers Life. The restaurant is very bright and clean. It has the feel of a classic diner, with modern accents. There seems to be a fair amount of seating. It wasn't crowded and our food came out quickly, so they can turn tables pretty fast. They also have wine and beer on tap, mostly local breweries, and PBR for you hipsters.

I decided to build my own burger. I started with the pretzel roll (extra $.40), Angus beef patty, lettuce, tomato, grilled red onion (you can opt for raw), house made pickles, pepper jack cheese, and spicy aioli. I like the pretzel roll as it has the strength to hold up to a loaded burger. As juicy as this burger was, it did not make the roll soggy. They butter both sides and grill the bun to a golden brown to give that extra defense against any sauce or juice that can break up the bun. Grilling the bun also gives a nice crispy texture. The burger is 1/3 lb of Angus beef from Fischer Farms in Jasper, IN. At first, I thought that I might want to double the burger, but it was actually just the right size. We both left dinner feeling comfortably full. You do have the option to adding a patty for $2. This was one of the juiciest burgers I have had in a while. It had the perfect amount of fat. It was juicy not greasy. I did not feel disgustingly full after eating this burger. You can tell the patty is formed by hand as it is pretty rough looking. The toppings worked well together. I ate a few of the house pickles by themselves. They were crunchy and had a kind of sweet, kind of sour flavor. The spicy aioli was great. It had a creamy flavor, but added just enough heat. It was a perfect mild heat. They do have Sriracha if you are looking for hotter. The sweet potato tater tots ($2) were awesome. They were cooked just the way I like them, a crunchy outside and soft inside. You could see the tiny diced sweet potatoes. Next time, I would ask for a few sauces for dipping. The waffle fries ($1.50) were average, but I feel like we didn't get that many in a serving. You get more bang for your buck with the tots.

I will definitely go back to Punch Burger. I overheard a patron say, "This place is much better than Boogie Burger." I would rank Punch Burger up with Twenty Tap, and ahead of BRU, Bub's, and Boogie Burger.

"I'm in 'an open relationship' with EAting healthy" -Unknown

The Brockway Public House

12525 Old Meridian St.

Carmel, IN 46032

317.669.8080

The Brockway Public House

This past weekend we decided to switch up our regular Broad Ripple bar scene and drive up to Carmel to watch the Notre Dame game at Brockway. This was out of the norm for me in particular as I would prefer to watch my teams from the comfort of my own couch. This can be attributed to outbursts of not so family friendly language, especially with Tommy Rees under center for the Irish. Case in point, there was a family sitting behind us and I may or may not have dropped an F bomb during a surefire Miami touchdown (I didn't think kids were allowed in the place, but I guess they have to sit away from the bar area). Within a few minutes I wasn't overly impressed with TV setup. The larger TV's were kind of high on the wall and it was not a very comfortable eye level. Luckily, the bar was not crowded and we were able to get a couple high top tables next to a lower TV. When we asked if the channel could be changed to NBC before game time, it was a 10 minute fiasco that took 2 different waiters to figure out how to operate the remote. If I ran a sports bar, channel changing would be one of my first areas of training. After that our service was pretty fair. Our waiter checked on us regularly and we rarely had to wait for drinks or food. In a throwback to my Chicago days, I ordered an Old Style. Our waiter said that is something that is reserved for the regulars and nobody else really orders it. He was shocked that this was my first visit. The bar has a nice patio, but it was too cool to be out there. Another throwback to my Chicao days was the tableside beer taps that charge per ounce poured. I would definitely go back, the issue is transportation back and forth to Broad Ripple. Drink Responsibly my friends.

We got an appetizer sampler to start that had fried cheese, fried mushrooms, and homemade potato chips with marinara and ranch for dipping. The mushrooms had a beer batter and were too big to eat in one bite, but impossible to cut into bite size pieces without losing the breading on the mushroom. I did not really care for these. The chips were average. They had more substance than a regular potato chip and lacked seasoning. The fried mozzarella were my favorite of the three. These were hand breaded in a bread crumb mixture and had a great crunchy texture to accompany the gooey, melted cheese. I apologize for not having a picture of me Reuben. I thought I took a picture of it, but didn't. Luckily this Reuben did not crack the Top Ten Reuben list, so I don't feel as bad. The Reuben was pretty average. The only flavor that shone through was the sauerkraut. I really wanted it to have more 1000 island dressing. The meat was juicy and there was a good amount of corned beef, but it left something to be desired. I feel like all Irish food is pretty heavy. I guess you need a heavy meal to give you a nice base for the Guinness and Jameson. FYI, Irish Car Bombs are on sale there on Saturdays. Again, drink responsibly. I would like to go back when it is nicer and sit on the patio and try something different for dinner. I was told that the fish and chips are delicious.

"May the enemies of Ireland never EAt bread nor drink whiskey, but be afflicted with itching without the benefit of scratching."

Bub's Burgers & Ice Cream

201 W. Main St.

Carmel, IN 46032

(317) 706- BUBS (2827)

Bub's Burgers & Ice Cream

 

The first time I ever ate at Bub's was 2 summers ago during an ambitious ride north on the Monon from Broad Ripple. I had just purchased a new bicycle, and we wanted to go on a ride. We thought it would be a good idea to go to Bub's for lunch, as it was getting much press from its feature on Man VS Food. It is a little over an 8 mile ride down the Monon. We decided it would be a good idea to make it a tradition after this trip. I'm sad to say that the tradition came to an end this year, as the other 3 of my friends that partook on this inaugural trip have since moved away from the Circle City. Nothing will compare to the first time riding down there as it was around 100 degrees outside and humid. 3 out of the 4 of us ate the "Big Ugly" 1lb burger. The other ordered the 1/4 lb hot dog. We were all successful in finishing the Big Ugly so we got our picture on the wall. Shockingly, the ride home took less time than the ride there.

My most recent trip was on this past Labor Day. The restaurant was as busy as always, it seems to have a pretty steady flow of patrons no matter what time or day it is. It doesn't hurt to be located right off the Monon and in Downtown Carmel which has hundreds of visitors a day. We even got there at 11:30. Luckily it was a nice day out and we could sit on the patio. Actually, I have never eaten inside, it has always been on the patio. There are a good amount of picnic tables out there to accomodate large groups. Our service was great. The food came out quickly and our waitress was very friendly. I have never had any issues with the restaurant. My only caveat is be prepared to wait to be seated. They do not take reservations unless you book the party room. Luckily during the summer time there are games outside to keep the kids occupied. They also line up patio chairs so you have a place to sit. It is a great place to people watch.

This time around I ordered the 1/2 lb Elk burger. Elk is healthier for you as it has less fat, cholesterol, and calories than beef. All the burgers come with your choice of cheese, lettuce, pickles, tomato, and onion. I went with the pepper jack cheese. I also ordered a side of sweet potato waffle fries with marshmallow sauce for dipping. The burger was cooked to a perfect medium, which as far as you want to go with game meats. If I have learned anything watching cooking shows, it is to cook game meats to medium rare. Each bite was juicy and flavorful. I have always felt that a good burger can stand up on its own without any condiments. This holds true with the Bub's burger. This was also the first time I have had elk. I really couldn't tell too much of a difference between my elk burger and JBH's beef burger besides the elk tasting a bit sweeter than the beef. The buns are baked locally, specifically for the 3 different sizes of burgers. The bun was toasted and had a wonderful buttery flavor. The sweet potato waffle fries reminded me of Thanksgiving. These were a perfect blend of sweet and salty. The fries were crispy thoughout. I find that sometimes sweet potato fries are usually on the soggy side, but not these. I was full after my meal, but not uncomfortable. It helped cure any lingering hang over effects I was feeling from the wedding I went to that weekend.

Of all the burger places I have written about Bub's falls somewhere near the middle of my favorites. It is a good burger with a fun atmosphere, perfect for families. I just think there are better burger joints that offer a more grown up taste.

"EAting is really one of your indoor sports. you play three times a day, and it's well worth while to make the game as pleasant as possible." - Dorothy Draper

Napolese

114 E. 49th St.

Indianapolis, IN

(317) 925-0765

Napolese

I've been waiting to write about Napolese for a while. I wanted to get a few visits under my belt before formulating my opinion. My conclusion is that Napolese is my favorite pizza in the city. The service and the food has always been top notch. I also love the neighborhood. I have always loved the homes in the area, and the whole block at 49th and Penn just really comes out of nowhere. The businesses are really part of the neighborhood. The only issue I have is that it gets pretty busy and you often have to wait for a table, as they do not take reservations. There are two sides to the restaurant and a patio. I have only sat in the main dining room and the patio. When I walked in, the first thing i noticed was the pizza oven. I enjoyed being able to see how the pizza was being made from start to finish. There are a few bar stools in front of the cooking area. It reminded me of Noble Roman's pizza growing up where you could watch the pizza artists through the window. You get a sense of how fresh the ingredients are as you can see the chefs chopping, rolling out the dough, and assembling the pizza. The key to a good wood fired pizza is the movement of the pizzas in the oven. You do not want to keep the pizza in the same place as it will burn. On the contrary if you add a pizza to the oven, you do not want to place it where you removed the last pizza as it will not be as hot. It becomes an art and the chefs at Napolese are pros.

When you are seated, you are brought a mixed sampling of olives. Only within the past few years have I become a fan of olives. These are pitted and can be eaten by themselves or to accompany any part of your meal. Not only does Napolese have the best pizza in the city, I'm convinced their double chopped salad is the best as well. I always add a few olives to the wonderful blend of ingredients. It is a base of romaine lettuce. The salad also has shredded mozzarella, gorgonzola, roasted peppers, crispy pancetta, thick sliced pepperoni, white corn and chickpeas. It is dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. Each bite has something different and each ingredient works well with each other. It is a symphony of flavors. The ingredients aren't listed on the menu, but believe me, you will not be disappointed.

I feel like the pizzas change season to season. We went in the beginning of summer and they had this pesto based pizza with ham, pineapple, and jalepeno. When I went a few days ago, it was nowhere to be found. Luckily the Hamaker's corner pizza is a regular on the menu. It is pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and provolone. It is a pretty basic pizza in comparison to the others on the menu. The pepperoni is thick cut and has great flavor. There are pretty decent sized pieces of sausage which give the pizza a mild spicy taste. The button mushrooms bring a wonderful, earthy flavor. The other pizzas I have had are the broken yolk, which is the margherita pizza with an egg cracked in the middle. This might scare off some, but it is so unique that we had to try it. I feel like this pizza would be better around brunch time. Elliot's pie is pancetta, potatoes, and gorgonzola. This wasn't my favorite, but it was still very good. The potatoes dried out in the cooking process. I just enjoy how everything is so fresh, which is probably why certain pizzas are available depending on the season. Since Napolese has the same owner as Cafe Patachou, you know you are getting the best, freshest ingredients. This restaurant is a great example of farm to table dining.

"Want to learn to EAt a lot? Here it is: EAt a little. That way you will be around long enough to EAt a lot." -Anthony Robbins

The Friendly Tavern

290 S. Main Street

Zionsville, IN 46077

(317) 873-5772

The Friendly Tavern

 

My coworkers were kind enough to go out with me to lunch on my birthday. I was craving wings and I had not been to The Friendly Tavern in a few years, probably since college. This post is another semi-dedication to @ArtWalter to who makes The Friendly, a "must eat restaurant" when he is home. Since our palettes are pretty much the same, I had to ask for a recommendation. I knew one was going to be the wings, the other suggestion was the shaved prime rib sandwich. I'll get to the food later, but. There are essentially two dining areas, one with the bar, and an elevated area with larger tables. Our service was okay, but a little on the slow side. I guess that would be our fault for having 8 people come to lunch during peak hours. It was better the first time, the second time it took a while to get our checks. The food was so good, it overshadowed the lackluster service.

As I mentioned we got the wings. We went with two orders for the table the first time we went. We got "The Friendly's Famous Wings" and the Honey Apple BBQ Chicken wings. Both wings were superb. @ArtWalter was not wrong when he said that these were the best wings he has ever eaten. The Famous Wings are breaded and un-sauced. You get to choose 2 sauces. We went with the hot sauce and bleu cheese. Even without sauce, these wings amazing. I do like how you get to control the sauce. Often times the sauce will take away from the crispy wing, but not these. Each wing had plenty of meat, was seasoned well, and there were a copious amount of them. Both orders were enough for the table to have a fair share. The Honey Apple wings were pre-sauced, but they were still very crispy. This was a good contrast to the spicy wings. The sauce was unlike any other type of BBQ sauce. It was sweet, tart, and very mild. This is perfect for those who do not like heat, as these have no heat. The wings are what prompted Round 2 the following week. My coworker, Matt, and I were so spellbound by these wings, we ONLY order the wings. Maybe I just can't eat like I used to, but a whole order of wings is pushing it for one person. I think we both agreed that it would be best to split an order the next time through.

I will forever trust Artie when it comes to food. The prime rib sandwich was a piece of beauty. Although I find Adam Richman annoying, I had been watching his "Best Sandwich in America" show. I am going to steal his rating scale for this sandwich, his "B.I.T.E. Scale" if you will. The "B" stands for the bread. It was crusty, yet soft, the two things I look for in bread. The "I" stands for interior. There was a good amount of shaved prime rib. It was so thin that each bite was tender. The grilled onions and mushrooms added good earthy flavor. You can't have a good steak sandwich without melted cheese. The cheddar bound everything together, encapsulating the ingredients so each bite contained all the aforementioned goodness. There was a side of horseradish sauce, I only used it sparingly. I would have preferred an au jus of some sort, because near the end of the sandwich, it was a little dry. The "T" stands for taste. This was a very tasty sandwich. I prefer it over any other steak sandwich I have ever eaten, your move Penn Station... The "E" stands for eating experience, and I have already spoken to how the service was slow, but I will not let that keep me going back.

I promised Artie that he would be able to guest post on The Friendly, so be on the lookout for the first entry not written by your's truly. He was also the most recent winner of "Lunch on EAting Indy"

"Everything I EAt has been proved by some doctor or other to be a deadly poison, and everything I don't EAt has been proved to be indispensable for life. But I go marching on" - George Bernard Shaw

Boathouse Grill

6225 W. 56th St

Indianapolis, IN 46254

317.328.8812

After golfing on a Sunday afternoon at Eagle Creek, our foursome decided to go to dinner at The Boathouse Grill (not to be confused with Rick's Cafe Boatyard). My coworkers and I used to go there more frequently before our office moved. It is located near 56th and Lafayette Rd. It is a bar and grill with a more nautical theme. There is a big paddle boat hanging from the ceiling, and other types of water themed memorabilia. The decor that stuck out to me was the beautiful fish tank above the bar.

Our service was good but a little on the slow side, but nothing that was unbearable. The food came out quickly, but we had to wait a little while for our drinks. They do have a nice side patio. Now that all the bars are smoke free in the city, you also don't have to worry about dining in a cloud of smoke, which was my biggest issue with this restaurant. On the plus side, they do offer freshly popped popcorn.

If you remember my post from around Super Bowl time, Boathouse had a sandwich listed in the Super 46 sandwiches in the state. It is their fish sandwich. I had eaten it before and it is one of the better fish sandwiches I have ever had. I know its hard to say that a fish sandwich in the middle of the country can be that good, but Boathouse pulls it off. I apologize for the dark picture, but my phone was running out of juice (it also doubles as a GPS on the golf course). Boathouse uses some sort of whitefish filet breaded in a beer batter. First off, the filet is huge. I think I have mentioned my pet peeve of when the meat portion is smaller than the bun. The fish is edge to edge on a crusty French bread. The fish was very crispy yet flaky. There was not an excess of batter, it was pretty even throughout. A good way to tell a fish is fresh, is that it doesn't have a fishy smell or taste. The sandwich is loaded with tomato, lettuce, onion, pickle and a side of tartar sauce. I don't really use a lot of tartar sauce as I try to limit extra fat on a deep fried fish sandwich. I do add a little malt vinegar instead. I decided to go with onion petals as my side. The petals were nicely sized and there was a heaping portion to accompany the sandwich. The batter was different than the beer battered fish. It was flour and bread crumb based I think I was channelling John Daly instead of Tiger Woods for my post round meal. It was nice that I didn't have to do anything the rest of the day, because I had a belly full of deep fried goodness.

"If you can EAt with mates or friends or family, I mean it's such a brilliant thing isn't it? If you feel reallly rubbish and you have a nice bit of food it make you feel good, you know?" - Jamie Oliver

Road Trip: Bloomington, IN - Hinkle's Hamburgers

206 S. Adams

Bloomington, IN 47404

(812) 339-3335

Hinkle's Hamburgers

I was down in Bloomington again to coach in the IHSAA State Track Meet. I had driven by Hinkle's Hamburgers numerous times while I was in school, but I had never actually eaten there. It is located southwest of campus off S. Adams St. If you take Kirkwood west past the cemetery, veer to the left and the restaurant is on your right. Hinkle's is the epitome of a dive restaurant. It is not very big and it seems the decor hasn't changed in years. The menu is the same as you would find in a concession stand. I think this is what gives the restaurant its signature "No Frills, Classic Food" flair. It has a couple of seats at the counter, about 7 or so table tops, and a few benches outside. I think only recently they started accepting credit cards. When you walk in, there are about 5 or so employees behind the counter. The place was pretty busy when my brother and I arrived. We were unable to eat inside the dining area, so we went to the picnic tables outside.

 

We each got a double cheeseburger meal (burger, fries, soda) for $6. I went with grilled onions, lettuce, and tomato on mine. We also ordered a side of the fried pickles ($3). The price couldn't be beat. If you look at the specials menu, you can see the 3 hamburgers for $5. I think they really know the target market of Bloomington townies and college students on a budget. I mean "townies" with the utmost respect. Having to put up with college students 9 months of the year, you deserve great restaurants like Hinkle's. I really wish I would have tried this place out when I was an undergrad, as you can't beat the price. Also, this would have hit the spot for many a hangover. I know when you see these pictures, you will think the burger is pretty unappealing, but tell me the last time you went to a fast food joint and the burger looked like the burger from the commercials. The fries were typical. The fried pickles were spears not chips. I was hoping they were hand breaded, but to my disappointment, they came out of a bag in the freezer. The freshest part of the meal was the burger. The beef is ground fresh daily. It was about the size of a McDonald's patty in thickness and area. The flavor was more along the lines of a White Castle burger, but with much better meat. This can be attributed to the steamed onions. I saw the chef cover the burger with a stainless steel cover to melt the cheese faster. I guess it was a good thing I was only coaching, not running in the meet, because this meal sat heavy. Although on numerous occasions this year, I had to explain how important it was to not eat junk before the meets.

I have long said that Bloomington is a food mecca. Hinkle's just extends my theory. My brother overhead some kids talking about where they wanted to eat after the meet. I was very disappointed to hear that their options were Olive Garden, Bob Evans, and Applebee's. Please, do yourselves a favor. If you ever go down to Bloomington, stay away from the chains. You will not regret your decision.


"I want to keep fighting because it is the only thing that keeps me out of the hamburger joints. If I don't fight, I'll EAt this planet." -George Foreman